Yes, that’s an SNL reference. Before I go any further, I have to say thank you and I love you to everyone—your kind messages this morning really lifted my spirits on a soggy, sad day. You guys are amazing.
Now for a post many of you asked for: photos of what I placed on our new Craigslist buffet. I aimed to mix items that are both functional and meaningful to us—hence the post title. Here’s what the entryway looks like now:
For comparison, here’s what the same corner looked like the first time we saw the house back in late 2010:
It’s so fun to see one corner decorated by different people. I love it. Sometimes I wish I could peek into every house on the block just to see how others set up their spaces—if I could pick a superhero power, invisibility would be high on the list so I could indulge my curiosity without being noticed.
Figuring out what to put on top of new (to us) furniture is one of my favorite little projects. I took about thirty minutes during Clara’s nap to play with pieces we already owned. Items I tried included:
- glass lamps that originally lit our first house’s living room and later our bedroom (they were wedding-registry finds from Target and have been with us for years)
- a big yellow urn that used to sit in the kitchen corner (picked up at HomeGoods a few months ago)
- a stack of decorating books from my stash that usually live under the dining room built-ins
- a scalloped bowl from the kitchen that I repurposed for something sentimental
- a white resin pineapple (from HomeGoods about a year ago)
- a faux red coral piece (from Kohl’s about six months ago)
- a thrift-store leaf dish for spare change that I snagged for 50 cents
My buffet-styling process was simple trial and error: step back, move things around, swap heights and colors until it felt right—kind of like putting together an outfit for furniture. I wanted to balance meaning, function, and beauty. Many talk about form and function, but adding meaning makes pieces feel even more special. Here’s the arrangement I settled on for now (I’ll probably swap things seasonally or for holidays):
Breakdown of what’s on the buffet:
Functional:
- two lamps to provide light in a room with almost zero overhead lighting—practical and cozy
- a small dish for loose change, buttons, and other tiny bits so clutter can be contained quickly
- the yellow urn, which offers hidden storage for things like an extra dog leash and other small items
Meaningful:
- a pineapple by the door as a welcoming symbol for guests
- a change dish with 43 cents tucked in (our lucky number) just because it makes me smile
- vacation postcards we mailed to ourselves, full of memories from the last seven years together
Just Plain Pretty:
- a stack of attractive hardcover books to add color, height, and inspiration
- a bright red faux coral piece for a modern pop of color against the vintage furniture
My favorite touch is the scalloped serving bowl I borrowed from the kitchen and filled with our vacation postcards. I love that they’re visible reminders of trips and memories—I can flip through them and rotate which one is displayed. Right now a postcard from Hawaii is in front because I still think it’s one of the prettiest scenes I’ve ever seen.
You might wonder why that pop of yellow urn sits up there. These photos explain why:
It looks so nice with our yellow front door.
And if you’re wondering where Clara is when we shoot for the blog, she’s usually right in the middle of the action doing something hilarious—like kneeling at the front door and waving at the school bus as it passes. Kids do the silliest things.
So there you have it: our new (actually very old) buffet, styled with items that are meaningful, useful, and visually pleasing. Nothing is stored inside yet, but I can’t wait to fill it—likely with formal dining items like cloth napkins, runners, larger vases, and serving pieces. That big blank wall above could definitely use something, too—stay tuned for updates.